During the latter half of the spring semester, we celebrated some of the special people of the Marquette community, culminating in our Commencement ceremonies this past weekend. As I shared with our graduates, no matter how far life takes them from our campus and Milwaukee, they will always have a home at Marquette University. I also reminded graduates that they are not leaving Marquette, but they are taking Marquette with them as they embark on an exciting new chapter in their lives.
These celebrations affirmed what became clear to me when I joined the Marquette community 10 years ago: our people are our difference. That’s why investing in our faculty and staff has been a priority since work began on Guided by Mission, Inspired to Change, the university’s 2031 strategic plan. A $7.1 million total compensation investment for 2026-27 — our largest single-year compensation investment ever — announced earlier last week, demonstrates this commitment to the people whose work is transforming our students’ lives and our university.
Speaking of our strategic plan, we also shared the third and final implementation update of the academic year. It provides a snapshot of what has been completed and previews the work ahead. Many thanks to Lora Strigens, vice president for planning and facilities management, and Alix Riley, chief academic effectiveness officer, co-leads of the Strategic Plan Implementation Team, and to the leaders and team members of the 10 strategic plan initiatives for their work throughout the year.
Marquette momentum: Continued Admissions success
Following the May 1 National College Decision Day deadline, I’m happy to report that our Marquette momentum continues, as we achieved or exceeded our enrollment strategy goals. We secured over 20,000 applications for the second year in a row, and in alignment with our Marquette 2031 strategic plan goals, improved deposits from states outside Wisconsin and Illinois by over 13%. I often say that everyone on campus is an enrollment officer, and I saw that in action the past few months as faculty and staff from across campus rolled out the blue and gold carpet to give prospective students and families a warm welcome.
To improve the campus tour experience for prospective students and families, this summer Facilities Planning and Management, the Office of Marketing and Communication, and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions are partnering to revitalize the Undergraduate Admissions lobby and presentation suite in Zilber Hall. These are the first spaces visiting students and families enter when they come for a tour, and work will be done to make the experience more immersive, engaging and aligned with our brand. This past spring, Undergraduate Admissions hosted the highest-ever number of high school senior visitors.
Outstanding faculty recognized at Père Marquette Dinner: Six outstanding faculty members were honored at the annual Père Marquette Dinner. They each have a deep commitment to our students and our Marquette mission, which was obvious from their heartfelt comments and the excerpts of the nominations that were shared throughout the evening. Thanks to Provost Tahmassebi and members of the Committee on Teaching for selecting such well-deserving recipients. Congratulations to this year’s honorees:
- Rev. John P. Raynor, S.J., Faculty Awards for Teaching Excellence — Dr. Kent Belasco, finance; Dr. Laurieann Klockow; biomedical sciences; and Dr. Rebecca Sanders, math and statistical sciences
- Robert and Mary Gettel Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence — Dr. Lowell Barrington, political science
- Part-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award — Dr. Felisa Antonchorgy, nursing
- Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Award — Dr. Jason Farr, English
Another highlight of the evening was Dr. Dennis Brylow’s reflection the academic year, including his work with his students to create Jacques Bot, which I am still trying to find and download from the App Store.
Outstanding alumni to receive All-University Alumni Awards: Our graduates go on to live lives of purpose and meaning, perhaps none as exemplary as our All-University Alumni Awards recipients who will be honored later this month. These women and men live out our Marquette values and personify what it means to Be The Difference. It is always moving to hear from the honorees about the impact their Catholic, Jesuit education has had on their lives.
37th Community Day of Service draws record numbers: Thanks to the more than 370 students, faculty and staff who participated in the Community Day of Service on April 18. Your good work benefited six community partners at 17 sites and was one of the strongest turnouts in recent history. Community Day of Service is a signature Marquette event that dates to 1989, when it was launched as Hunger Clean-Up. I appreciate the Arrupe Center for Community Service and Social Responsibility team coordinating the day’s events.
Lubar Center marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: We celebrated the Lunar New Year in May at the Lubar Center Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Dinner earlier this month. The sold-out crowd sampled food from some of Milwaukee’s top Vietnamese, Korean, Taiwanese and Chinese restaurants and enjoyed a cultural performance from the Shaolin Center from Madison. The dinners are a great opportunity to “meet someone, learn something and try everything!” Derek Mosley, director of the Lubar Center, puts together a great lineup for the dinners, which will resume in the fall.
Now that the final grades have been recorded and we’ve crossed the finish line of the 2025-26 academic year, it’s time to take some well-earned time for ourselves. Summer in Milwaukee has unlimited options for relaxation and entertainment, whether you prefer peaceful walks along Lake Michigan, tailgating and cheering on the defending Central Division champion Milwaukee Brewers, or anything in between. No matter how you plan to spend your Milwaukee summer, I hope you are able to enjoy it to the fullest with family and friends.
We Are Marquette!
Kimo Ah Yun
President
